Video after building my Tour Car.
My video was very popular in Brazil and from the views count... just the proof!
FOLLOW UP VIDEO... All the accessories in my tour car!
BUILDING MY TOUR CAR.
After closing my initial blog, I have copied the original page back to this blog. Building such a tour car is a DIY project where you can create a space that you like and find practical. The space is very small and to make it work, needs constant planning.
There isn't any factory that will build a camp car!
The step by step DIY guide to building a Uno Tour Car.
Remove the rear seat.
You would notice I removed the head rests of the seats. That was done for a very good reason. Looking at the pictures of the Mini, the passenger seat is tilted forward in "camping mode". On the Fiat Uno, the headrests lean against the wind screen. That's a bad idea!
For now, the color scheme's my look a bit odd as the grey colors of the panels might clash a bit with the green and cream. The idea is to keep the colors light... to give a effect of more space. The darker colors go, the smaller it looks. Finally the color scheme of the final tour car with overwhelm the grey's and will appear more black underneath the choice of curtains.
Now I can start building the frames to take the shape of what's to come. Maybe just one thing... The black and dark colors on the mini does make it look small....
The next part is the difficult part. Measuring the center of the the car, working out the "passage" width and following the shape of the car. I start with the side unit first. This will create a small working surface with pigeon holes. Behind the driver seat and unit will be space to keep things cold....
This is stuff I have and have to measure carefully.
The rear seat lock may just came in handy to "lock" the unit in place!
Oh... before you ask.... what about the spare wheel? How are you going to get it out wit that tour arrangement?
I'm a South African! 'n Boer maak 'n plan! The spare wheel have a new place... easy to reach!
This is a slow process, the wood glue needs to dry to prevent the wood swiveling at the screw points!
Let me tease you!.... You see that rear "block", that would house the 220 V plug when the camping car is plugged in to a camping site AND a 12 Volt to 220 V inverter to operate stuff like my computer when not plugged to 220 Volt.... Hmmm you thought I didn't plan this!
This was the stuff mounted in my FIAT truck.... and now, if found a new way to my FIAT camping car!
The tricky part during building the basic frame, is the "locking" mechanism to keep the unit in place. Some careful planning to use the rear seat lock points. Remember the concept remains... tour stuff out... rear seat back in... want to tour, rear seat out... tour stuff in.
In the following picture you can see the unit frame is locked in the bottom rear seat lock. The pigeon holes is also staring to take shape.
To top lock plate is fitted and works perfect to lock the unit down... Not really rocket scientists stuff and only think practical.
The next part is to work out the floor size. The sleeping area size needs to be about 650 mm wide with a length of 1,8 meter. Looking at the pictures, the mattress height or highest point must be even with the door handle.
Therefor to work out the height of the bed frame, the mattress thickness must be subtracted.
The picture doesn't show the spare wheel now as I work in and out there... but the height of the sleeping base is higher that the spare wheel in place... Just follow the pictures to come.
In the picture you can see the bottom seat lock is already used.
Still building the basic frame. It takes careful planning building... following the shape of the car. In the next pictures, see the "hump", the rear wheel arch and shock is housed. Working around it it created yet another spot for a pigeon hole to pack stuff.
The area or frame part for the top seat lock left is also taking shape.
The pigeon holes starting to take shape. In this construction the frame becomes stronger and still very light!
Did you notice it? I'm keeping the slots for the parcel tray open.... That's what we call the thing between the rear set and the boot lid where people usually cut holes to have huge speakers fitted!
Something will happen there! I'm a little tempted to tease you now! That is a very nice size for a camping table....
Covering the frames... follow the pictures...
This really takes building... thinking... making a plan... it's a slow process...
The next step is to tackle the floor area. Then I could finish the pigeon holes inside and the mattress base.
The camping must have curtains! The side and rear curtains is no problem... but how to do with the front screen? Here is the solution...
My floor is fitted... with the trap door for tools in the spare wheel hole.
Starting to build the mattress base...
Doing the inside of the pigeon holes, one need to work neat as I want to keep the holes open. Using card board templets one can get the shape of the car almost perfect.
From one of the previous pictures you can see the mattress cover and curtains will be bottle green.
I just thought now to insert this picture showing the safari style seat cover and colors of the units. As you can see the blues and grey's from the original color scheme sorts of fade to black... with the prominent cream and green.
The little panels inside the boot lid is missing... Those I will cut new board and make that cream with the white to give from this angle the illusion of more space or size.
The tour car is really starting to take shape and my mind is overflowing with ideas! In the following pictures... I now decided to ride the spare wheel behind the drivers seat. This open the option to get in and out of the camping car from the passenger side door! There is place for my feet... when I work on my pc in the car.
Planning the parcel tray... With a neat design, the parcel tray acts as a camping table. Thinking further a section of that can fit as the mattress base. In that section can fit a washing tub... in the table that is... Like a box within a box in a box... get it?
This will ultimately become the "feature" of the tour car by my design.
The table legs in the previous picture... and the "parcel tray table is not yet finished. From the next picture you'll get the idea.
The extension for the bed base took some real careful planning. In the passenger seat back rest is a steel bracing towards the bottom... Using that, the extension works perfect and and when I sit in the door, I just added a "L" bracing for support.
Looking at the toe picture,s notice the door handle. The mattress section is even with the door handle and the extension goes underneath.
Testing the bed... my car in "sleeping mode"!
I' real surprised! The bed is 1,8 meter long and 600 wide and my feet never touched the boot lid! Since the car was much cooler than inside my flat... It's summer here... What a comfortable sleep! With the driver and passenger windows halfway open... lots of fresh air and mosquitoes.
I'll do the front curtains and windows with "frames" and mosquito net.
Now I just need to do small finishes to the tour car... The inside of the pigeon holes and other final finishes.
The following picture show the tor car in "driving mode"
Soon I'll upload a video... Convert your small car to a neat camper. Showing in the video how easy the units fit and lock in place. I'll do the video once final finishes is completed.
I am working on the door window frames... Mosquito netting and curtains.... The following pictures will show the concept.
Since I build the Tour Car, I made a lot of changes for more comfort.
Just follow the videos with each newsletter and soon you'll see how I use my Tour Car in "Driving Mode" and in "Sleeping Mode".
Video of another Uno Tour car... Very nice! a 4 door Uno!
Other vehicles that measured to fit a 1,8 meter bed...
Opel Kadette and Opel Caravan in the newer shape.
I had done a Ford Fiesta 4 door that also works great. Photo of the conversion fitted in the vehicle available... The Ford Fiesta 2 door will work better!
I own the right to the following photos. I did the work and took it with my own camera after fitment and I do not appreciate my photos to be published elsewhere without my permission.
Such a tour car project should stay a DIY project and I don't get involved with building anymore! Don't even ask me! Did that, got the T-shirt.... what's next!
Put your mind to it, you can convert almost any car to a nice camper!
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Please respect my privacy preferences as explained on the home page of this blog.
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Photos and content ©Johan du Toit
______________________________________
Please respect my privacy preferences as explained on the home page of this blog.
______________________________________
Photos and content ©Johan du Toit